Cat lifted her smudged fingers. “It’s a charcoal pencil, a little messy but with a lot of versatility, and yes, it’s mine. Do you like it?”
“It’s amazing. The birds look so real.” He leaned closer.
Cat warned, “Careful, or you’ll get it on you.” She tipped her head at him. “If you really like it, you can have it.”
His eyes widened. “You’re serious?”
“Sure. Being cooped up here, I’ve done a lot of drawings.”
“May I see the others?”
She went pink again. “Um...”
Because many of the sketches were of him naked, Leese said, “She can pull them all together for you to see soon. Right now, I don’t want the eggs to get cold.”
“Yes, that would be wonderful. Just let me know when you’re ready.” He stared reverently at the sketch. “You’re sure you don’t mind if I take this one?”
“It’s not a problem at all. Let me spray it first so it won’t smear.” She left down the hall toward the bathroom.
Propping a hip on the counter, Leese said, “She’s good, isn’t she?”
“Very good.” He sipped his coffee. “I had no idea.”
“Took me by surprise too.”
“I’ll frame it and hang it in my den,” Enoch told him. “I have a fondness for birds.”
Leese was about to get to his more pertinent questions when Cat strode back in, shaking a hair spray can. “This will help it to set.”
“Sign it first,” Enoch said, and then with glee, he added, “I’ll have an original.”
She laughed, but scrawled her name on the bottom of the drawing, lightly sprayed it, blew on it gently and then put it between two other blank pages. “Here you go.”
“Thank you so much.” Enoch carefully slipped it into a pocket of his briefcase. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m flattered that you like it.”
“I love it.”
Appearing very pleased, Cat put away her supplies and went to the sink to wash her hands.
Knowing it might be his only opportunity, Leese led Enoch back to the front door. Hoping the running water would keep Cat from hearing, he said low, “Could you tell Sahara I need to talk to her right away?”
“No need. She had the same request for you,” Enoch explained in a reciprocal tone. “She’ll probably need another thirty minutes. Everyone is running behind.”
“Understandable. I’m sure a lot of the side streets are still a mess.” He’d peeked out the window earlier and saw snow piled everywhere. It’d probably be a few more days before they got it all cleared up.
“I know she wants to talk to everyone as a group, and then you privately.” He glanced toward the kitchen. “I imagine I can entertain Catalina while you’re with Sahara. It’ll give me an opportunity to ask her more about her art.”
“Sounds good.” Leese opened the door. At the end of the vestibule, the private elevator doors stood open, and the adjacent door to the stairs remained secure. “Let me know when and I’ll be there.” After he closed and locked the door behind Enoch, Leese turned and saw Cat waiting for him to join her before eating. He needed to talk to Sahara, to tell her he wanted to end this, whatever it took.
He wanted Cat free.
And then they could decide about the future.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“ISN’T THAT THE little dude who works in the agency?”
Hands jammed deep in his pockets, his collar up and a scarf around his neck, Tesh gave up his perusal of the deadly icicles hanging from the gutters of the building where he planned to hole up. The owner, who worked for one of Platt’s associates, was late and that pissed him off. It was too fucking cold to stand outside waiting.
But the building was a good choice. It gave him a clear view of the Body Armor agency. With the roads finally cleared, he and two of his men had arrived half an hour ago. Already it felt as if his nose might fall off, it was so cold. He’d been about to head back to his car to wait when Johnson pointed out the man leaving Body Armor.
Enoch Walker. “Well, I’ll be damned.” Most everyone who left or entered the building did so through the parking garage doors.
He recognized Enoch from a detailed report he’d gotten on all the employees, from Sahara Silver down to the cleaning crew. The security for the building was top-notch, but here was Sahara’s right-hand man, waltzing out as if on a mission.
As he watched, Enoch tucked a briefcase under his arm and secured the buttons on his coat all the way to his throat, then turned up the collar.
“Get him,” Tesh said, the anticipation already heating his blood. “Discreetly. Take him to our car. I want to see what’s in the briefcase, if it gives us any clue about Catalina.”
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll join you in a minute.” As an afterthought, Tesh added, “Don’t hurt him too much—until I’m there.”
Wearing the slightest of smiles, Miller led the way, making a beeline across the cleared parts of the street. Johnson followed.
Both men liked to act, not wait. Giving them a focus was like throwing a meaty bone to a rabid dog.
Watching them work could be amusing, but right now, Tesh had his own need to work.
No longer cold, he watched as the little man was stopped. As alarm flared in Enoch’s eyes, Tesh breathed deeper. He loved seeing that moment of recognition, that split second of time when people realized they were in real trouble.
Enoch looked ready to scream, then Miller leaned close, said something in his ear and the little man clammed up in terror.
No doubt Miller told him he had a gun to his ribs. Since he kept his hand in his coat pockets, no one would know until it was too late.
With terror making his gait awkward and his face pale, Enoch allowed himself to be led away. Miller carried his briefcase.
Perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect.
Tesh flexed his fingers and, after ensuring no one had noticed and he wouldn’t be followed, he headed after them at a discreet distance.
He’d done many things in his life and had never been caught. He sure as hell wouldn’t blow it today...not when he was so close to having Cat.
They’d parked the SUV with darkened windows in a private lot less than a block away. Tesh followed the footsteps in the snow and, with every beat of his heart, the turbulence built in tandem with the excitement.
A very dangerous mix. A mix that inspired extreme violence from his soul.
When he got close, Johnson opened the door and stepped out. “He’s in the back.”
“Then that’s where I’ll be as well.”
“I figured.” He opened the door and waited for Tesh to slide in, then closed it and got back behind the wheel.
He now had Enoch trapped between himself and Miller.
Immediately, Miller held up a sketch. “This is signed by her.”
Enoch’s audible breathing filled the interior. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, the little man trembled.
“Ah.” Tesh took the drawing. “Even without a signature, I’d have recognized my kitten’s work.” His gaze pierced Enoch. “So you have Catalina?”